NATCHEZ — Mississippi’s economy is improving, but continued investment in infrastructure will be necessary to sustain and expand that growth.

That was the message three of the area’s state legislators had at the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce’s Friday forum. Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, Rep. Sam Mims, R-McComb, and Sen. Kelvin Butler, D-Magnolia, gave an update on this year’s regular legislative session.

State revenues were up nearly seven percent this year, representing approximately $100 million in real dollars, most of which came from sales and property tax collections, Johnson said.

“We see that there are more people working,” he said. “Unemployment rates are dropping, and we have more people putting money into the economy. The biggest push has been from sales tax collections.”

Mims said with the boost in revenues, the state was able to adopt a “conservative, tight, fiscally sound” budget while filling the rainy day fund to its maximum allowable limit.

“When we do that, it shows we are committed to be prepared in the future,” Mims said. “People are working and paying their taxes, and our budget shows it.”

When the question of if a tax cut was in order because of increased revenues arose, Mims said the Legislature would have to consider the long term picture when considering that option.

“If we are going to cut taxes, we are going to have to make sure we will still be in good shape down the road,” he said. “If we can have that conversation, great, but we’re not going to say we (will cut taxes).”

Johnson said he didn’t see a realistic chance of taxes being cut at this point.

“We have only had modest growth and revenue, and on top of that, the governor has come on board with us that he is going to push increased funding,” Johnson said. “I don’t know how you are in one breath going to say you are going to increase the effort and in the next breath say you are going to have some tax cuts.”

This year’s budget included a $32 million addition to the roads and bridges budget, Johnson said, a critical step to improving the area for economic development.

“We are dealing with a revenue system in terms of funding roads and bridges in this state that is outdated,” Johnson said. “We have new century problems, and we are collecting at $2 a mile of road when it costs $10 a mile to maintain them.”

The best way to create jobs is to create an environment where money wants to go, Johnson said, and when an area improves its infrastructure it sees improvements in other areas, such as schools.

“You look at the places in northeast Mississippi that have been successful, and what those areas have are highways and hospitals,” he said. “In the areas where you don’t have those, you don’t have the industry.”

Butler said the area didn’t see the same amount of growth as some areas of the state, but leaders were hoping the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale development — an oil and gas play primarily in Wilkinson and Amite counties — would soon kick that off.

“Oil production won’t last if you don’t have the roads and bridges to bring the oil out of the county,” Johnson said. “A $1.8 billion budget is needed to maintain roads and bridges.”

The economic development discussion served as a thread throughout the legislators discussions, which touched on topics that included state education funding and drug testing recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

With infrastructure and job availability come improvements to communities, Johnson said.

“To a person, people would rather be able to say, ‘I went to work this morning,’” he said. “The fallacy is that people would rather sit around and get public assistance. They line up for jobs when they’re available.

“When you see people go to work, you see improvements in your schools and in your community. I grew up in Natchez, and when we had jobs in Natchez, we had good schools. If all you are going to do is focus on what you are doing at your schools and not focus on your economic base, we won’t get anywhere.”

Sen. Melanie Sojourner, R-Natchez, and Chuck Middleton, Rep. America Chuck Middleton, D-Port Gibson and Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia, did not attend the forum.